LECTƲRE VIII.

NOw then, the first thing which here I note, is the Apostles vehement protes∣tation, not concerning any triuiall and ordinarie matter, but touching his sin∣cere and feruent loue of the Philippians, nor to small or no purpose, but to winne their attention vnto the word of their saluation more gladly. For he protesteth & sweareth, an oath being no∣thing else but a calling of God to witnesse of that wee speake, for their assurance to whom wee sweare, which whole definition is in this protestation; hee protesteth sayeth, and sweareth vnto the Philipp. that he longeth af∣ter them all, and greatly loueth them all from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ, that so being perswaded of his loue, they might giue the better heed vnto the things he wrote. Whence I obserue that a protestation, or an oath by God, when the glory of God, or the good of our neighbour doth require it, may very lawfully bee made. And this is proued, first from the nature and de∣finition of an oath. For, what is an oath? It is, as euen now we heard, an holy and religious calling of God to witnes, of the truth of that we speake, for their assurance vnto whom we speake; as here the Apostle for the Phi∣lippians assurance of his sincere loue of them, calleth God to witnes how he longeth after them all, how greatly he Page  95 loueth them all from the very heart root in Iesus Christ. And what herein is vnbeseeming a Christian, or which may not lawfully be done? Secondly, it is proued from the expresse commaundement of God, for thus hath God commanded, saying,* Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God, and serue him, and shalt sweare by his name. In which words, as to feare the Lord God, and to serue him, so to sweare by his name is commanded. Thirdly, it is proued from the end of an oath, for the end of an oath is to de∣cide debates, & to make an end of strifes; as the Apostle sheweth, saying,* that an oath for confirmation is among men an end of all strife. And as Moses in a plaine case sheweth, saying, If a man deliuer to his neighbor to keepe Asse, or Oxe,* or Sheepe, or any beast, and it die, or be hurt, or taken away by enemies, and no man see it, an oath of the Lord shall bee be∣tweene them twaine, that hee hath not put his hand vnto his neighbours good, and the owner thereof shall take the oath, and he shall not make it good. And this being the end of an oath, why may it not lawfully be made? Fourthly, it is proued from the practise of holy men of God; for Abraham, as we reade, swore vnto Abimelech by God,* that hee would not hurt him, nor his children, nor his childrens children: And Isaac and Abimelech, after∣wards sware one to another, to the like purpose: And so Iacob and Laban sware one to another, to the like pur∣pose: Likewise our Apostle oftentimes in his Epistle protesteth, and calleth God to witnesse of that he saith, Rom. 1.9. 2. Cor. 1.23. & 12.19. And God himselfe,* because hee had no greater to sweare by, sware by him∣selfe, as it is said in the Prophet, and as the Apostle wit∣nesseth. Lastly, it is proued from a necessary consequent, for if an oath be a part of Gods worship, will it not then necessarily follow, that an oath may lawfully be made? Now that an oath is a part of Gods worship, appeareth by many places of holy Scripture; as,* where it is said in the Prophet, In that day shall fiue Cities in the land of Ae∣gypt speake the language of Canaan, and shall sweare by the Page  96 Lord of hosts,* that is, shall renounce their superstitions, and serue God as he hath appoynted. And againe, where it is said, Thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth in truth, in iudge∣ment, and in righteousnes. And therefore the Lord by that Prophet,* in the next Chapter complaineth of Iudah, and Hierusalem, that they had forsaken him: and how did that appeare? because they swore by them that were no Gods: Thy children, saith he, haue forsaken mee, and sworne hy them that are no Gods. So that to sweare by them that are no Gods, is to forsake God. And why? because it is to giue his worship to another, euen to them that are no Gods: which, who so doth, he forsaketh God.

O, but will the godly soule say, this needed not in such a swearing age, to proue the lawfulnes of swearing; and will the cursed swearer say, this is well indeed, that I haue so good allowance for my swearing from the Prea∣cher. Hearken therefore yet a while, and know how we may protest and sweare lawfully. First therefore, if wee will sweare lawfully, we must sweare by the name of God. For both the cōmandement & practise are so, as already we haue heard, & the reason therof is very plain: for who can witnesse, that he that sweareth lyeth not, but God onely that beholdeth the heart, and knoweth what is in man? Or who is omnipotent and able to maintaine and defend him that speaketh truth, or to punish and take vengeance on him that sweareth a lye, but God onely which is able to destroye both soule and bodie in hell? Secondly, if wee will sweare lawfully wee must sweare in truth,* in iudgement, and in righteousnesse. In truth, for the confirmation of the truth, because wee may not call God to witnesse a lye, least hee giue vs our portion with lyers and swearers, in the lake that euer burneth. In iudgement, vpon causes weighty, certaine, and necessa∣rie, when the glorie of God, or the good of our neigh∣bour doth require it, because we may not call God light∣ly, or rashly to witnesse vpon triall, or vncertainetie, or vnnecessarie causes, least our iudgement be as theirs that Page  97 take his name in vaine. In righteousnes, for the confir∣mation of things godly, iust, and lawfull, because wee may not call God to witnes things vngodly, vniust, or vnlawfull, lest we be not holden guiltles for taking his name in vaine: for thus much those three points imply. Thirdly, if we will sweare lawfully, it must be when wee haue no other way of proofe of our words, or confirma∣tion of our promise: for if otherwise the thing for which we are to sweare can be debated, decided, & ended, then by an oath we are not to sweare, as by the end of an oath it doth appeare, which is to end a strife; so that where the strife may otherwise be ended, there an oath is not to be vsed. Sweare then wee may lawfully, but not otherwise then by the name of God, and that in truth, and in iudgement, and in righteousnesse, and that when things cannot otherwise be cleared and ended then by an oath.

Which serueth first for the confutation of that error of the Anabaptists, who deny it to be lawfull for a Chri∣stian to sweare at all: the plaine contrary whereof wee haue heard euidently proued out of the scriptures. The places of scripture whereon they ground their error are two;* the one the saying of our blessed Sauiour in Mat∣thew; the other the words of Iames in his Epistle. The saying of our Sauiour in Matthew is, Sweare not at all, neither by heauen, for it is the throne of God &c. The words of Iames are, Before all things sweare not, neither by heauen, nor by earth, nor by any other oath &c. from both which places they conclude that a Christian may not sweare at all. For answer whereunto wee must vnder∣stand, 1. that not all kindes of othes are forbidden in these places. 2. what kinde of othes are there condem∣ned. For the first, that not all kinde of othes are forbid¦den in Mathew, appeareth by the very scope and drift of our Sauiour in that place. For what was his scope and drift there? It appeareth by his exposition there of sun∣dry lawes, that his meaning was not to destroy the law, Page  98 for so he saith,* I came not to destroy the Law and the Pro∣phets; but his meaning was to purge the Law from the corrupt glosses of the Pharisees, and to open the true meaning of it, as he doth first in the Law touching mur∣ther, and then in the Law touching adulterie, and not in the Law touching swearing. The Law then not ha∣uing simply forbidden swearing, neither doth our Sa∣uiour simply condemne swearing Againe, if all kindes of othes be simply here forbidden, and onely yea, and nay commanded, what shall we say for our Apostle that contenteth not himselfe onely with yea and nay? What shall we say for our Sauiour himselfe, that not therewith content saith, Verily, verily, I say vnto you? And againe, othes being a part of Gods worship, as before we heard, if all kinde of othes be here forbidden a Christian, then is a part of Gods worship forbidden and condemned. Seeing then thus it may appeare, that not all kindes of othes are here forbidden, let vs now see what kindes of othes are here forbidden and condemned. And this will appeare by a short view of the corrupt glosses, which the Pharisees added to the Law touching swearing. The Law was, Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe, but shalt per∣forme thine othes to the Lord. Their glosse was, that if any sweare by the name of God, or by the things that were immediatly belonging to the seruice of God, as by the gold of the Temple, or the offering on the Altar vainely or perfidiously, not performing his oath, he offendeth but if he sweare by any other creature, as by heauen, or earth, or Ierusalem, or his head, or the Temple, or the Al∣tar, or any that is not God, hee offendeth not, nor is bound to performe his oath. Our Sauiour his exposi∣tion of the Law against their glosse is, that not onely to sweare in our common talke by the name of God, but also to sweare by any other creature is an offence against the Law. So that here are not forbidden othes made in truth, in iudgement, and in righteousnes, but all othes in common talke, either by God, or by any creature what∣soeuer, Page  99 or by any thing that is not God. Yea but it is said, Sweare not at all. True, in common talke sweare not at all, not by the name of God, for that the Law forbids, nor by any creature, although the Pharisees allow you, but let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay. Nay I adde in great and weighty matters sweare not at all, if any way you can auoide it, and when your yea, and nay may be trusted: for whatsoeuer is more then yea and nay, alwaies commeth of euill, euen of the deuill in thee if thou sweare of a wicked custome, and of euill in him to whom thou swearest, if hauing no cause to distrust thy yea and nay, he doe not trust thee but cause thee to sweare. The like answer is to be made to that of Iames, who vseth the very words of our Sauiour. Yea, but Iames addeth, Sweare not by heauen, nor earth, nor by any other oath. True, not vainely, or perfidiously. So that no oath by God, or any creature in common talke is lawfull for any Chri∣stian, nor in weighty and necessarie matters if wee can auoide it, but if wee cannot auoide it, an oath by the name of God in truth, in iudgement, and in righteousnes is lawfull, the Anabaptists grounds as yee see prouing nothing to the contrary.

The second vse of our obseruation is, to restraine the wicked othes of the prophane swearers of our time. For first are we when we sweare, only to sweare by the name of God, & not at all by any creature, or any thing that is not God? How then darest thou, whosoeuer thou art, sweare by the Masse, by thy faith, by thy troth, by our Lady, by S^t. George, or the like? Are these thy gods whom thou hast made to serue them? Or darest thou giue the worship due vnto God, vnto any but vnto him? Did the Lord threaten ruine vpon Israel because they swore by their idols in Dan, & Beersheba, saying,* they that sweare by the sinne of Samaria, and say, thy God O Dan li∣ueth, and the maner of Beersheba liueth, euen they shall fail, & neuer rise vp againe, & darest thou sweare by that idoll of the Masse, which was the sinne of England, and is the Page  100 sinne of Rome? Did the Lord tell Iudah that her chil∣dren had forsaken the Lord, because they swore by them that were no Gods, saying, Thy children haue forsaken me, and haue sworne by them that are no gods,* and darest thou sweare by our Lady, by S. George, by S. Iohn, or S. Tho∣mas, or the like, which are no gods? Doest thou not see that thus swearing thou forsakest God, and bringest ruine vpon thy selfe? Did our blessed Sauiour tell the Scribes and Pharisees saying, Whosoeuer sweareth by the Altar sweareth by it,* and by all things thereon; and whosoeuer swea∣reth by the Temple sweareth by it, and him that dwelleth therein; and whosoeuer sweareth by heauen sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon; and doest thou thinke that when thou swearest by thy faith, thou swearest not by him in whom thou beleeuest; or when thou swearest by thy troth, that thou swearest not by him in whom thou trustest &c? In one word, thou that commonly swearest by any thing that is not God, tell me what thinkest thou, doest thou therein sweare by God, or no? If so, then thou takest his name in vaine, and he will not hold thee guiltles. If no, then thou for∣sakest God, in that thou swearest by that which is no God. And looke then what comes vpon thy swearing by any creature, or any thing that is not God.

Againe, are we when we sweare not to sweare by any creature, or any thing that is not God, but onely by the name of God, and not thereby, but onely in truth, in iudgement, and in righteousnes, and when things other∣wise cannot be cleared and ended? How then darest thou, ô wretched man, in thine ordinarie talke, vpon e∣uery fond and light occasion, no necessitie of Gods glo∣ry, or thy neighbors good vrging, sweare by the holy name of God, and of Iesus Christ? How doth not thy flesh & thy spirit tremble within thee? how doth it not pierce thy very heart and soule to sweare by the life, by the body, by the sides, by the wounds, by the bloud of Christ Iesus? Doest thou, cursed wretch, hope to liue Page  101 by his life that swearest by his life; hope to be benefited by his bodie, that swearest by his body; hope to be hea∣led by his wounds, that swearest by his wounds; hope to be washed from thy sinnes by his bloud, that swearest by his blod? Nay, thou that dost these things, dost crucifie againe vnto thy selfe the Sonne of God. Thou art one of them that spittest vpon him, and buffetest him, that naylest him vnto the crosse, that thrustest thy speare into his side, that art accessary to the death of that iust one, and his bloud shall surely be vpon thee, vnlesse he grant thee grace vnto repentance. A pittifull case that a man can almost come into no place, into no companie, but he shall heare such ordinarie swearing by the name of God, that euery third word almost shall be such an oath. A pitifull case that a man cannot passe the streets, but he shall heare little ones that haue little more then learned to speake, yet sweare wickedly by the name of God. And yet so it is, as if our yong ones had neuer learned to speake, till they had learned to sweare, and as if the elder sort had neuer spoken well, till they had sworne lustily. A great many thinke themselues no bodie, vnlesse they can sweare it with the best, and that it is their credit to sweare stoutly. But wretched credit with men, that is got with the losse of Gods fauour: and better no bodie, then such a swearing bodie. Heare the word of the Lord by his Prophet Zachary, this saith he is the curse that goeth forth ouer the whole earth:* for euery one that stealeth shall be cut off, aswell on this side as on that, and euery one that sweareth &c. Enough a man would thinke to make the swearers countenance change, and his knees to smite one against another.

Let this be enough, beloued, to warne you of this foule sinne of swearing, and to restraine you from it. Sweare not at all in your common talke, either by God, for then he will not hold you guiltles; or by any thing that is not God, for then yee forsake God, but let your communication be yea, yea, and nay, nay. Let not your chil∣dren, Page  102 or your seruants, or your scholars sweare by any thing that is not God; lest in stead of performing their promise in their baptisme to forsake the deuill, they for∣sake God: Neither let them sweare by the name of God, lest by vsing it without reuerence & feare, they prouoke him to plague them. You must all of you know and re∣member, that his name is glorious and fearefull, that he is a ielous God and a consuming fire, and therefore ye may not thinke or speake of him, but with reuerence and humblenesse, with feare and trembling. To conclude this point, He that vseth much swearing, saith the sonne of Sirach,* shall be filled with wickednes, and the plague shall neuer goe from his house, and if he sweare in vaine he shall not be innocent, but his house shall be full of plagues. Accu∣stome not therefore thy mouth to swearing, nor take vp for a custome the naming of the holy One;* for as a seruant which is often punished cannot be without some skarre, so hee that sweareth and nameth God continually, shall not be vnpunished for such things. Haue your faith and your troth with God, but let your communication be yea, yea, and nay, nay, for whatsoeuer is more then this commeth of euill. Par∣don my dwelling on this point, being so needfull to be spoken of, and hauing occasion but seldome to speake of it.

The second thing which here I note, is the thing whereof the Apostle maketh such vehement protesta∣tion, which is his sincere loue of the Philippians. Hee protesteth and taketh God to witnes, that he longeth af∣ter them all, or greatly loueth them all from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ. Whence I obserue how the Pastor ought to be affected towards his people, and gene∣rally one Christian towards another, and that is thus, the Pastor ought to loue his people, and one Christian ought to loue another, euen with sincere loue. Owe nothing saith the Apostle,* to any man, but to loue one another. Which rule is generall for all Christians, and conteineth in it two good instructions; the one, to flie debt, that we should Page  103 not owe any thing one to another; the other, to follow after loue, that wee should loue one another. And wri∣ting vnto Timothie more particularly, hee noteth the Pa∣stors loue of his people, where hee saith,* Be an ensample vnto them that belieue in word, in conuersation, in loue; in loue I say, that as they see your loue to be towards them, so their loue may be one towards another: euen as the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians, saying,* The Lord encrease you, and make you to abound in loue one towards an∣other, and towards all men, euen as we do towards you. Wher∣in his loue towards them is signified, the loue which should be in the Pastor towards his flocke, that as his is towards them, so theirs might be one towards another.

But since there are so many sleights in loue, how can Christians shew that they loue one another, and Pastors that they loue their people euen with sincere loue? that is, our loue must be a great loue, so great, that if we be absent from them whome wee loue, we long after them with a longing desire to see them, that if we be their Pa∣stors, wee may bestowe some spirituall comfort among them, and if otherwise, that we may performe some du∣ties of loue vnto them. Such was our Apostles loue to the Romanes, as he witnesseth, where he saith,* that hee longed to see them, that he might bestow vpon them some spi∣rituall guift to strengthen them. Such also was Epaphroditus loue towards these Philippians, as our Apostle witnesseth in the next chapter, verse 26. And such was his owne to∣wards them, as this place sheweth. And such after their example, must bee the loue of all Pastors towards their people, and of all Christians one towards another, if their loue be sincere. Yea, but such and so great may be their loue one towards another, as that they greatly long and desire to see one another, and yet their loue be not heartie, but full of dissimulation. True, and therefore a second qualitie is requisite in sincere loue, namely, that it be without dissimulation, euen from the very heart roote. Such loue our Apostle requireth in all Christians one Page  104 towards another,* saying, Let loue bee without dissimulati∣on.* And so the Apostle Peter, saying, Loue one another with a pure heart feruently. Such was our Apostles loue towards the Philippians, louing and longing after them from the very heart roote: and such must be the loue of all Pastors towards their people, and of all Christians one towards another, if their loue bee sincere. Yea, but yet such, and so great may bee their loue one towards ano∣ther, as that they long one after another, euen from the ve∣ry heart roote, and yet their loue be not sincere, but after the flesh, as the manner of many carnall men and world∣lings is to loue;* as we see that Shechems heart claue vnto Dinah. True, and therefore yet a third qualitie is requi∣site in sincere loue, namely, that it be in the Lord, euen in Christ Iesus, a spirituall, holy, and sanctified loue in Christ, and for him. Such was our Apostles loue towards the Thessalonians,* as himselfe witnesseth, saying, We were gentle among you, euen as a Nurse cherisheth her Children. Thus being affectioned towards you,* our good will was to haue dealt vnto you, not the Gospell of God onely, but also our owne soules, because ye were deare vnto vs. And a little after he saith,* We exhorted you, and comforted, and besought euery one of you, as a father his children. And such, hee taketh God to witnesse, his loue was towards the Philippians. And still the precepts runne, to loue one another in the Lord, and such must be the loue of Pastors towards their people, and of Christians one towards another, if their loue be sincere, they must long after them in their ab∣sence from them, and that from the very heart roote, and that in Iesus Christ.

If Pastors should examine their loue towards their people, and Christians their loue one towards another by this rule; how much sincere loue (thinke yee) would there bee found either in Christians generally, or in Pa∣stors particularly? For such is mens loue generally, that they doe not greatly long after one another to see them, if they be absent from them, at least, not from the verie Page  105 heart roote, or surely, not in Christ Iesus. Nay, be we ab∣•ent from them, or they from vs, we care not whether we •ee them againe, or no, but to long after them, or to loue •hem from the very heart roote, that we thinke needs not; or, if we doe, it is in some carnall or worldly respect, not for Christ Iesus his sake, or in Christ Iesus. Nay, com∣monly wee can satisfie our selues well enough with our loue of one another, as Christian inough, sincere inough, and holy enough, though in our loue there bee neuer a one of these qualities, though neither we long after them from the very heart roote, in Christ Iesus; nor long after them from the verie heart roote, nor long after them at all. And as it is with men generally, so is it with the Pa∣stors particularly. Too many that can bee long absent from their flockes, and yet not long after them to see them, to bestowe some spirituall gift vpon them: too many that loue not their flockes, from the very heart rootes: too many that loue their flockes onely for their fleece, but not in Christ Iesus: but very few like vnto Aaron, beare the names of their people before the Lord,* vpō their two shoulders for a remēbrance: very few that beare as Aaron the names of their people in a breast∣plate vpō their hart, that is,* very few that haue their peo∣ple in their hearts, to deale vnto them not the gospel on∣ly, but also their own soules, because they are deare vnto thē, whereas it should be so with all Pastors. Well, ye see what loue should be, both in a Pastor towards his peo∣ple, and generally in all Christians one towards another. Thinke on these things, and blessed shall yee bee if yee thinke on them, and doe them.